A Vampire Murder
by living-mushroom
Summary: In Kings Cross, Sydney, a body is found with unatural death circumstances. As the case is investigated it seems the victim is linked to a cult of wannabe vampires. But what if there's a real vampire on the loose? Are there such things as vampires? R


You should never ever go out to Kings Cross at night. Ever since a child I was told this by my fussing mother. As I stood on the side walk near my apartment I could not agree more. All around me there were discarded objects such as rubbish, syringes and cigarette butts which showed the side of Sydney unknown to the wary traveller. How I ended up in this dump I have no idea, but I do know that if I didn't hurry I would never get to the group ceremony in time.

"What took you so long? We were worrying you wouldn't show?"

"Of course I was gonna show, you know me better than that don't you Sammy?"

She grunted and I was let inside into new meeting place. This time it looked like they had managed to get a hold of an old, abandoned warehouse. Like usual, there were no decorations hanging up. It looked like everyone had decided to turn up tonight, including Zoe.

I hated Zoe. We have known each other as nothing else but enemies ever since year five. It all started in the usual girl stuff with talking behind each others back, pretending they were invisible, you know the stuff. But then it started to get nasty, she started to spread rumours. Lesbian rumours. Eewwww! As if! In the end it had gotton so bad that I had to move schools.

Everyone was already sitting down in a circle and I started to head towards one of my only friends, Alinta. Alinta was my one of the first people I had ever met and was also my owner. Not many people like Alinta – they thought she was too strange. Sometimes I would agree with them, but she was my friend and as far as I was concerned I needed all of the friends I could get if I wanted to survive in this cult.

I turned my attention to our leader who was standing up at the front on what looked like an old crate, looking at the crowd expectantly so she could start.

"Good-day Ladies? Tonight, we have gathered here to celebrate the new blood joining us from now on. They seem very promising members and are eager to learn our ways. I expect you all to treat them with care and show them how the game around here is played, so to speak. Welcome to the Satan's Chokehold!" Our leader gave her ceremonial wave to the crowd before delicately stepping down from the old crate.

I was walking back to my apartment via an abandoned alley when I felt the chilling feeling you get when someone or something is watching you. I could feel icy fingers running down my spine and whipped around – but saw nothing. Maybe it would be safer to get home with more people around me. I turned to redirect myself when I heard a twig snap off to my left. It suddenly felt very cold. I turned around slowly, somehow knowing there was no-one within hearing distance. Next to an abandoned fridge I could see eyes reflecting the moon's light, and they were focused on me. Humans are raised with the idea that they are the hunters, but at that moment I felted like I was the hunted.

It was Sunday morning and the sun was smiling down on Sydney. The temperature was slowly climbing its way up to 30 degrees and most people were inside with their new best friend the air conditioner. Not many people liked to take walks when it was so hot, but he didn't mind.

Mike was a middle aged man who stood out from the crowd and did so proudly. Nothing stopped him taking Harry out come rain, wind or hail. So, it was no surprise when Mike and Harry were spotted walking down Victoria Street together one early Sunday morning.

"Mornin' Mike an' Harry. You'd be wanting a bone for Harry," said the local wine seller as they stopped for their usual catch up.

"Thanks, you'd like that wouldn't you boy?" Mike bent down and scratched Harry behind his ears, his tail wagging uncontrollably.

"He's a good dog Mike, 'course he deserves it. So, how's life? Heard your rent's goin' up again," he said as he came back up from underneath the counter after rummaging around for a bone.

"Don't worry yourself about me. Heard business is low at the moment."

"Yeah, it is…but me wife's insistent that no matter what we don't sell, you know how she can be. That reminds me – you hear that screamin' last night?"

"No. Probably one of those druggies again, nothing new. Remember last New Year's Eve how we had one of the drunks climbing up that telecommunications tower?"

"Yeah, the police had to come in and everything. So drunk he even did a moony, pretty funny stuff," said the wine guy as his eyes misted over while he remembered the good old times.

A little while later, Mike and Harry were once more making their way down the street. Mike had just been wondering about what they'd talked about. It wasn't unusual to hear about drunks & druggies making rackets at night, but just before they had left he had been told that it was a scream like no other-what ever that was meant to mean.

"WOOF," Harry told Mike before running off down a seemingly deserted alley.

"Might as well follow the squirt. Could've found something interesting for once."

As Mike followed Harry's barking he was momentarily stunned. Was it just him, or did the temperature suddenly drop? This thought was just as quickly swept away as it had arrived as he realised what was poking out behind an overflowing dumpster.

"My God…this can't be true…this just can't be…true…" Mike fell down onto his knees next to the dumpster as he fearfully looked around its corner. It was true, there was a body there, a body like he had never seen before. He had to get away…he had too…


End file.
